Automatically stopping trains and signaling



(No Model.)

W. O. SHAFPER & A. M. WHITE.

AUTOMATICALLY STOPPING TRAINS AND SIGNALING.

Patented May 1,1883.

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM G. SHAFFER AND ARTHUR M. WHITE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN- SYLVANIA,ASSIGNORS TO THE RAILROAD SAFETY LOCK AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATICALLY STOPPING TRAINS AND SIGNALING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,905, dated May 1,1883.

Application filed January 2, 1883.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, WILLIAM G. SHAFFER and ARTHUR M. WHITE, bothcitizens of the United States, residing in the city and county ofPhiladelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented anew and usefulImprovement in Automatically Stopping Trains and Signaling, whichimprovement is fully set forth in the following specification andaccompanying Io drawings, in which Figure 1 is a rear view of apparatusembodying our invention in position on a locomotiveengine. Fig. 2 is aside elevation thereof.

Similar letters of reference indicate correr sponding parts in the twofigures.

Our invention consists of means, substantially as hereinafter described,attached to a locomotiveengine, whereby, in the event of danger alongthe railroad, steam is automatically shut off from the cylinders of theengine and the brakes are applied, thus stopping the train, the whistlealso being operated, thus signaling the danger, these results beingaccomplished without abruptness.

teferring to the drawings, A represents one of the axles of alocomotive-engine, and B represents the box thereof.

0 represents an upright leg, which, pivoted to the box A, is adapted tobe engaged by a 0 projection, foot, or shoe, 0, located along the lineof thcrailroad,and supported on sleepers, ties, or other proper means inthe road-bed.

D represents a lever, which is mounted on a suitable portion of theengine adjacent to the 5 box B, and its lower end is pivoted to a lever,

E, which extends horizontally, and has a longittulinally-extending slot,a, in which projects a pin or stud, b, of the leg (J. The upper end ofthe lever D is adapted to engage with one 0' limb of an elbow-lever, F,which is mounted on a shaft, G, the bearings of which are on a suitableportion of the engine, said shaft also carrying a pulley, J, aroundwhich passes a belt, cord, or chain, K, one end of which is 4 5connected with a drum, L, whose bearings are on the upper limb of theelbow-lever F. The other end of the belt K is connected with the leversA A, respectively, of the throttle-valve and whistle.

(No model.)

To one of thelimbs ol' the elbow lever Fis pivoted an arm or rod,l\l,whose upper end is within convenient reach of the engineer or otherperson on the engine, so that said lever may be reset and the connectedparts assume their normal positions.

N represents a belt, cord, or chain, which is adapted to be wound on thedrum L, and, passing around the pulley J, is connected with the air,steam vacuum, or other brake mechanism of the engine or train.

It will be seen that the lever F is so disposed that when it is held bythe lever D the drum L overhangs the axle A, and when said lever F isdisconnected lroni the lever D the former gravitates or moves on itsaxis in 05 such manner as to present said drum L to contact with theaxle A, or gear it with the axle and cause rotation of the same, wherebythe belt K will be wound on the drum.

The shoe 0 may be raised automatically or by hand in the event of dangerdue to misplaced switches, open draws, broken rails, accidents, &c.,itbeing essential to stop the train.

As soon as the leg U strikes the shoe it is carried rearward by theengaging contact with 7 5 said shoe, thus moving with it the lever .Eand causing the tripping of the levers D F. The drum L, coming incontact with the axle A, is positivelyrotated, whereby the belt K iswound on the former, the elt'ect whereof is to operate thethrottle-valve and shut of the steam to the cylinders of the engine, andlikewise operate the whistle-lever, thus causing the whistle to blow andsignaling the engineer. Simultaneously therewith the strap Nis wound onthe drum and the brakes thereby applied, the re sult being the stoppingof the train.

Bearing against the back of the leg 0 is a spring, I, which is attachedto the axle-box or frame of the engine, and serves to prevent abruptmotion of the leg when it strikes the projection O, and restore said legto its normal position after the lever F has been tripped.

By depressing the arm M the lower limb of the elbow'lever rides over theback of the up 5 per part of the leverD until itreaches thehead of thelatter, when the twoleversinterlock and the drum L is held clear of theaxle A.

' 2 erases Owing to the slot to of the lever E,when the engine backs andstrikes either of theshoes G, the leg (3 is permitted to move toward thefront of the engine without imparting motion to the lever E andconnected parts.

It is evident that the winding device may be automatically geared withany othermovable member of the engine than the axle, and the motion oftrain stopping or signaling mechanism or both will be thereby retardedor gov crned, so as to be operated without abruptness.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. A locomotive-engine provided with a device adapted to engage with ashoe or projection along a railroad, and means connected with saiddevice and the stopping mechanism of the engine, adapted to gear withand receive rotary motion from a movable member of the engine, wherebyin the event of danger said stopping mechanism is operated and theengine or train thereby stopped, substantially as stated.

2. A locomotive-engine provided with a device adapted to engage with ashoe or projection along a railroad, and means connected with saiddevice and the stopping and signaling mechanisms of the engine, adaptedto gear with and receive rotary motion from a movable member of theengine, whereby in the event of danger said stopping and signalingmechanisms are operated, thus signaling danger and stopping thetrain,substantially as stated.

3. The combination, with a movable member ofalocomotive-engine,of a drumand connections with the stopping mechanism of the engine, adapted to bewound on said drum, said drum being adapted to be automatically engagedor geared with said member,substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

4. Connections with the stoppingmechanism of a.locomotive-engine, incombination with a drum for winding said connections, a lever for movingthe drum against the axle of the engine, and an automatioally-operatedtrippinglever for releasing the first-named lever, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

5. The leg 0 and connecting arm or leverE, in combination with thetripping-lever D, drum L, drum-carryi 11g lever 1 and connections withthe stopping and signalingmechanisms of the engine, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

6. In automatic train-stopping or trainsignaling mechanism, adeviceadapted to be air tomatically geared with a movable member of alocon'iotive-engine for retarding or governing the motion of saidmechanism, substantially as described.

\VILLIA M O. SHAFFER. ARTHUR M. \VHITE.

Witnesses:

J. Massey, FRANK Massnv.

